Countdown
by yuuram2fangirl
Summary: The countdown of all the events in the life of a prince, a brother, a friend, the Messiah, and The Emperor of the World. Events that ultimately leads to death. (Stupid summary. Give it a try)


**Countdown**

**Disclaimer:****I do not own Code Geass.**

**Author Notes:****Umm….. a barrage of one shots. Just random things that pop into my mind. I hope this isn't as bad as I feel it is. Please read and review.**

**_Life and death are one thread, one line viewed from different sides_**_._

He looks down at the bloodstained body of his mother and the shivering Nunnally in her arms and knows that things will never be the same again.

The countdown has started.

_Tick tock. Tick tock._

**10.**

"Brittania..." He whispers as he looks at Suzaku's dejected face as he sits by the funeral pyre of his father.

It breaks his heart to see his brother in all but blood so sad and downtrodden.

(He remembers the look on Nunnally's face when he told her that they had been exiled)

"Suzaku." He clenches his fists and stares into his best friends emerald eyes. "I swear- I will obliterate Britannia!"

_Tick tock. Tick tock._

**9.**

He hates being tied down. He loves Ashford Academy- he thinks of the Student council as his family he is lucky enough to have but at the same time he wants revenge. Vengeance.

Every time he sees Nunnally, the desire in him is renewed. And it has never been stronger than when she says, "I want a peaceful world to live in."

So when he meets CC who gives him the power to achieve everything he wants, he doesn't hesitate.

(Because it's for a friend who died trying to save him, for his mother who was killed and for his sister who is crippled)

He is going to bring down Britannia.

_Tick tock. Tick tock._

**8.**

The irony doesn't go unnoticed by him. He knows that life is ironical when he, a Britannian prince is fighting for Japan and Japanese is fighting for Britannia. And they are best friends.

Maybe it is the fact that they are best friends.

The fact that it is Suzaku to whom he had first promised to destroy Britannia.

The fact that it is Suzaku who his sister like after him.

Or maybe the fact that all this time he had been fighting his best friend- his brother- and would continue fighting him in the future that makes him pull back as soon as he sees who is behind the Lancelot.

(Because he knows he will have to face Suzaku again. But today- today he doesn't have the strength or will to fight against the person he thinks of as his family)

_Tick tock. Tick tock._

**7.**

He didn't mean to. Or maybe he did, in some deep dark corner of his mind where the monsters reside.

He is revolted by the blood that floods the stadium in which the announcement was about to be made. He hates the fact that one of the gentlest people in the world is holding a gun in her hand.

But he isn't been able to do anything.

(Except to-)

"I'll... talk with you later than."

"Yes Suzaku. See you later."

On the battlefield.

"Commence the Black Rebellion."

_Tick tock. Tick tock_.

**6.**

For a moment, just for a very short moment, he feels the shock of seeing all the dead bodies around him. But it soon wears off moments later as he remembers everything.

**_'Your very existence is a mistake.'_**

He clenches his fists in anger as he remembers the way he had been held down in front of his greatest enemy by the person he had once considered as his best friend.

'Well, if it isn't the _Messiah_." CC's mocking tone doesn't offend him. She is the one who rescued him after all. Though he knows that it is less for him and more for their contract he cannot help but feel thankful that she had gone through all the trouble to save him.

For now, she is the only one he can trust.

Despite the anger coursing through him, a smirk finds a way on his face.

Zero is reborn.

_Tick tock._

**5.**

He is a great actor. A smile easily slides on his face as he stands in front of Suzaku. Of course, there is still anger (of betrayal) pumping through his veins but he manages to hide it behind his poker face.

**_You are going to regret betraying me._**

**_You are going to pay for-_**

But as he takes the phone and speaks to the New Viceroy of Ar- of Japan, his mind goes blank.

"Lelouch?"

Later he thinks about abandoning the plan of revenge only to be dissuaded by Rolo. He doesn't mean to treat Kallen in such a way. He has immense respect for his ace and the fact that she followed him despite knowing the truth only makes her all the more valuable to him.

But it takes Rolo to bring him to his senses. As he stands on the cliff and looks below at the havoc he has caused, he makes a promise to himself.

I will rescue you, Nunnally. No matter what it takes.

_Tick tock._

**4.**

He is ready to die. The reason he has lived for is dead so there is no use for him to live on.

So he merely lifts his head towards the Black Knights, watching Kallen walk away and waiting for the bullets to pierce his skin.

But it isn't his time to die. Even if he wants to.

As he looks at the still body of his fake brother- who cared about him despite the fact that Lelouch had only used him- his resolve once again strengthens.

If he is going to die, he will take the cause of all this along with him.

So he sets out for the final showdown.

_Tick tock._

**3.**

It is when he sees his mother beside his father that he realizes that he was the fool all along.

He had fought for vengeance for a person who had never truly died. For a person who had never really cared about him or Nunnally.

Of course, he is betrayed once more.

But for some reason, this betrayal stung less than the others did.

Maybe because he is used to it by now.

When they disappear (when he kills them) he understands, realizes what must be done. He accepts the cost he has to pay for all his sins.

He is ready to die.

_Tick tock._

**2.**

He does find it ironic that in the end it would be Suzaku who would stand by him, fighting alongside him.

He finds it ironic that he, Zero, the sworn enemy of the Britannian Empire would end up as the 99th Emperor of Britannia.

That the leader of the Black Knights would be fighting against them.

His biggest challenge- the biggest irony- is that the person he is doing everything for is against him (on the enemy's side)

But that doesn't deter him from the path he had chosen (the path he had paved)

He is too far gone to back off even if she is alive.

So he pushes forward and declared himself as Emperor of the World.

All the pieces have fallen into place.

_Tick tock._

**1.**

"And that-"

"Is the Zero Requiem."

He meets Suzaku's green eyes and smiles sadly. He never could've predicted that this is how everything would end. If anything, he is glad that even if he is gone, Suzaku would be there to protect Nunnally.

"Lelouch, we are friends right?"

He ponders on that. Suzaku had been driven mad with rage after Zero killed Euphie. He betrayed Lelouch in the worst way possible. He had abandoned Lelouch when he needed Suzaku the most. And yet... when he looks into Suzaku's eyes, he sees the boy who had taken a bullet for him. The boy who had pushed a gas mask over his head to protect him. His best friend.

Lelouch smiles. "For the last 8 years."

Because friends are not the one who never leave. They are the ones who come back.

He can see the sadness, desperation and pleads in Suzaku's eyes.

**_'Please Lelouch. Don't leave. Don't die. Don't-'_**

But all that comes out of Suzaku's mouth is- "Don't be afraid."

Lelouch grinned wryly. "I stopped being afraid when I realized that the biggest monsters out there were inside me."

The end has come.

_Tick._

**0.**

The sky is blue and sun is shining.

He knows that CC isn't present in the crowd that waits with a baited breath as Zero appears.

He knows that there is confusion in everyone's mind who knows who Zero truly is.

He knows that despite all the crimes he has committed, despite everything he has done; his friends were panicking as Zero pulled back the sword.

And as the sword penetrates his chest, he knows that life isn't fair.

If it is fair, he would be with Nunnally, Suzaku and the Student Council, enjoying his life at Ashford Academy.

If life is fair, Nunnally would've been able to see and walk.

If life is fair, Euphie, Shirley and Rolo would still be alive.

If life is fair, CC would be in heaven by now.

If life is fair, Suzaku would still have the same bright smile and shining emerald eyes that Lelouch had first hated 8 years ago.

If life is fair, people would've not cheered his demise; there would not be tears in his sisters eyes as he took his last breath and Suzaku wouldn't have to hide behind a mask for the rest of his life.

But life isn't fair. It's merely a sad tragedy with the world as a stage and people as characters.

And his time is up.

Goodbye.

_Tock._

**Author Notes:****I hope you enjoyed! Review.**


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